Piper PA-24-260 accident near Cherokee, Iowa, January 21, 2010
On January 21, 2010 at about 8:35 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-260, registered N8916P, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Cherokee, Iowa (Cherokee County Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot misjudged his altitude while on short final approach.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 21, 2010 · about 8:35 pm local time
- Place
- Cherokee, Iowa · Cherokee County Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-260 · all PA-24-260s on the register
- Registration
- N8916P · registry record · serial 24-4348
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot flew an instrument approach to runway 36 and decided to circle to land on runway 18 as the winds slightly favored runway 18, and because runway 36 contained a slight downhill slope. While on final approach the pilot lowered full flaps and slowed the airplane to 80 miles per hour. The pilot intended to land as close to the end of the runway as possible because he was concerned about the lack of braking action on the snow- and ice-covered runway. The landing gear subsequently contacted a hard snowbank about 30 feet before the approach end of the runway, resulting in substantial damage to the airplane's firewall. The airplane then slid about 450 feet down the center of the runway prior to coming to rest. The pilot reported that it was difficult to judge the terrain as everything was snow covered and white. The pilot did not report having any problems with the operation of the airplane prior to the accident.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Landing area undershoot during landing defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
- Landing gear collapse during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Snow/ice › Effect on operation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Perception/orientation/illusio › Perception › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,433 hours in all; 856 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 1,398 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 29, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,522 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 12, 2010; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-D4A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LAA Lamar CO at 6:00 pm
- Destination: CKP Cherokee IA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 18, 3,801 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 29.76 inHg
- Observation at 8:35 pm from CKP
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.